First reading 1 Kings 12:26-32,13:33-34
The prophecy of the separation of Israel
Jeroboam thought to himself, ‘As things are, the kingdom will revert to the House of David. If this people continues to go up to the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices, the people’s heart will turn back again to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will put me to death.’ So the king thought this over and then made two golden calves; he said to the people, ‘You have been going up to Jerusalem long enough. Here are your gods, Israel; these brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ He set up one in Bethel and the people went in procession all the way to Dan in front of the other. He set up the temple of the high places and appointed priests from ordinary families, who were not of the sons of Levi. Jeroboam also instituted a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth of the month, like the feast that was kept in Judah, and he went up to the altar. That was how he behaved in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made; and at Bethel he put the priests of the high places he had established.
Jeroboam did not give up his wicked ways but went on appointing priests for the high places from the common people. He consecrated as priests of the high places any who wished to be. Such conduct made the House of Jeroboam a sinful House, and caused its ruin and extinction from the face of the earth.
Responsorial Psalm 105(106):6-7,19-22
O Lord, remember me out of the love you have for your people.
Our sin is the sin of our fathers;
we have done wrong, our deeds have been evil.
Our fathers when they were in Egypt
paid no heed to your wonderful deeds.
They fashioned a calf at Horeb
and worshipped an image of metal,
exchanging the God who was their glory
for the image of a bull that eats grass.
They forgot the God who was their saviour,
who had done such great things in Egypt,
such portents in the land of Ham,
such marvels at the Red Sea.
Gospel Mark 8:1-10
The feeding of the four thousand
A great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat. So Jesus called his disciples to him and said to them, ‘I feel sorry for all these people; they have been with me for three days now and have nothing to eat. If I send them off home hungry they will collapse on the way; some have come a great distance.’ His disciples replied, ‘Where could anyone get bread to feed these people in a deserted place like this?’ He asked them, ‘How many loaves have you?’ ‘Seven’ they said. Then he instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute; and they distributed them among the crowd. They had a few small fish as well, and over these he said a blessing and ordered them to be distributed also. They ate as much as they wanted, and they collected seven basketfuls of the scraps left over. Now there had been about four thousand people. He sent them away and immediately, getting into the boat with his disciples, went to the region of Dalmanutha.
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Looking with compassion
In today’s Gospel, Jesus looks out at a crowd that has been with Him for three days and expresses compassion for their hunger. He cares about each person in that multitude and feels a strong urge to do something to lessen their hunger. Jesus encourages His disciples, and us, to see the crowd through His eyes. Every day, we come across many people who are not just hungry for food; they are longing for love, acceptance, hope, and peace. We have the opportunity to be His instruments by actively serving those around us, reflecting Christ’s light in our lives.
Jesus takes the loaves and small fish the disciples have, gives thanks and blesses the food, and instructs them to distribute it to the crowd. Everyone has as much as they want to eat. This serves as a powerful reminder for each of us: we should trust that Jesus can work wonders with whatever little we may have. During this time of prayer, let us draw closer to Jesus and learn once again how to cultivate compassion for others while trusting that He is the one who multiplies the little we have to nourish those in need.
Reflective question:
When I look at the crowds of people around me, am I filled with compassion and love?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
